Singapore’s FueLNG, a joint venture consisting of Shell and Seatrium Offshore & Marine, said that its second bunkering vessel has completed its first LNG bunkering operation.
According to a social media post by FueLNG on Friday, the 18,000-cbm FueLNG Venosa completed the ship-to-ship (STS) transfer of LNG to the 210,000-dwt bulk carrier, Mount Tai.
Singapore’s Eastern Pacific Shipping recently took delivery of this LNG-powered bulker from China’s New Times Shipbuilding.
On the other hand, South Korea’s Hyundai Mipo held the naming ceremony for FueLNG Venosa on April 21 at its yard in Ulsan.
Korea Line LNG, a unit of SM Group’s Korea Line, owns this LNG bunkering vessel.
The firm ordered this vessel in April 2021 at Hyundai Mipo for about $60 million and chartered it to FueLNG.
The contract includes a firm period of five years with options to expand it to ten years in total.
Prior to this operation, FueLNG Venosa completed its first loading operation with the 2019-built 174,000-cbm LNG carrier, Pan Africa, on May 30.
This vessel joins Singapore’s first LNG bunkering ship FueLNG Bellina, owned by FueLNG.
The JV completed the first bunkering operation with this ship to a CMA CGM vessel in March 2021.
100th LNG bunkering operation for EPS
Idan Ofer’s EPS said in a separate statement that this operation with Mount Tai is the company’s 100th LNG bunkering operation.
The firm said that Mount Tai received 4,887 cbm of LNG during the operation.
Mount Tai will be a part of EPS’ low carbon emission fleet, transporting iron ore along the green corridor from West Australia to Northeast Asia, it said.
“We are delighted to celebrate the first successful LNG bunkering operations of FueLNG Venosa with Mount Tai, alongside the remarkable achievement of our valued customer EPS on completing their 100th LNG bunkering operation,” Saunak Rai, general manager of FueLNG, said.
EPS CEO, Cyril Ducau, said that this is a “historic event for EPS as it proves that the viability and infrastructure to carry out LNG bunkering already exists for those who are willing to take action today.”
“Mount Tai will be our first Newcastlemax to operate in the spot market. With the volatility in LNG pricing, bunkering our managed spot vessels showcases our commitment towards the industry’s energy transition to lower emissions,” he said.